Laurent Koscielny – Analysis Of ‘Bosscielny’ + Rating Out Of 10

Hi Gooners. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be writing my views on every Arsenal player to have played over 20 games this season and will give my own rating out of 10 for each. Today, I look at French centre back Laurent Koscielny.

Kos - excellent this season

Laurent Koscielny:

Laurent Koscielny joined Arsenal at the beginning of last season and many fans thought he would never be where he is today. After a slow start to his Arsenal career he eventually formed a partnership with Johan Djourou after Thomas Vermaelen got injured.

In the first few months, Koscielny was starting to warm to the fans until the February 27th 2011. Arsenal finally got to Wembley in the final of the Carling Cup and faced an average Brimingham side. Despite being below par for much of the game, our first trophy in six years was within touching distance until the 90th minute, when a mix up between Koscielny and Szczesny let the ball slip free to Obafemi Martins who scored the easiest goal of his life and gave Birmingham the Cup.

A lot of fans were venting their anger in Laurent’s direction but by myself, I thought, this could go two ways. It could either ruin his career or it could make him come back twice as strong. And it turned out to be the later as he improved in every game until the end of the season and had one of his best games to date against Barcelona, keeping Lionel Messi in his back pocket.

This season, the 25-year-old has been the spine of Arsenal’s defence and has even managed to grab himself a goal and an assist. His goal happened to be Arsenal’s first of 2012. The talented defender has been up there with Kompany and Lescott this season and has made 78 tackles in 29 games so far this campaign. 20 more than Kompany (58) and 30 more than Lescott (48).

What I like most about Koscielny is that he is so underrated and strikers don’t see him as a threat but when they face him, they struggle as much as they would against the likes of Puyol. A lot of people joke about him on Twitter saying he is keeping people like Messi, Ba, Aguero, Suarez, Holt and Drogba in his back pocket. Gooners even renamed him as “Bosscielny”.

Let’s be honest, Koscielny is by far the most improved player of the season. His partnership with Vermaelen has been vital in our run to 3rd place and many Arsenal lovers would say he’s been just as good, if not better, than Vermaelen this season. I hope they can continue their partnership next season.

Arsenal have not had a proper DM since Gilberto and they are still hopelessly vulnerable to counter-attacks & straight balls through the middle (witness goals against Newcastle, QPR & Wigan). Koscielny would be ideal for this role as he anticipates & intercepts extremely well…and he would defend the crucial space in front of the centrebacks when Arsenal lose the ball…

Rubbish, Song is one of the best DM in the PL, if you actually watch a game you see how much defensive work he does. think about how many times our full backs get forward who is covering their position Song and even when our CB are getting more and more adventurous who is in the CB position covering them Song.

I totally agree with Ozzie, Koscienly should play in the DM position and let the more creative song play in an advanced role, or better still play him and song together shielding the back four. Bring in Vertogen or Zapata then we are a match for any team.

Koscienly, IS NOT A DM HE IS A CB!!! its like saying VP is a AM or winger or Verminator is a LB or LM yes they can play there but it doesnt work and there are players better suited for the job. Let CB be CB and let DM be DM, having to swap and swich world class players to different positions is what got us into this mess ( that and Y. Djourou)

Best defender in the EPL this season, no doubt. Excellent in the air and deceptively strong on his feet. Ramsey can’t be rated more than 4, he’s been awful this season yet wenger plays him so often. Why??

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